Test: The Mavic MVS Shield, priced at €119, positions itself in the more affordable segment of photochromic mountain bike glasses. It impresses on the trail with its high coverage and one of the fastest tinting speeds in the test. However, in practical use, shortcomings in build quality detract from the overall impression.
Mavic MVS Shield: Dimensions and build quality
At first glance, the Mavic MVS Shield makes a really good impression. The frameless design looks modern, and the dimensions are generously proportioned at 140 mm wide and a full 58 mm lens height. On paper, this promises a huge, unrestricted field of vision. However, this positive impression contrasts sharply with the tactile experience as soon as you pick up the goggles. The build quality is unfortunately disappointing. Even when simply unfolding the temples, the goggles creak and crack from every corner. The lens itself has so much play that you inevitably wonder if everything is as it should be. This cheap impression unfortunately overshadows the otherwise clever details, such as the screw-in and therefore replaceable nose pads or the strategically well-rubberized temple tips, which are meant to ensure a secure fit at the top and bottom. It seems corners were cut in the wrong places.
Mavic MVS Shield: Glass
Mavic seems to have made no compromises when it comes to the lens. A strongly red-tinted lens is used, covering a VLT (Visible Light Transmission) range of 15% to 75%, thus clearly falling into the relevant category 1-3 for mountain bikers. This tint range performed excellently in our tests under both bright sunshine and overcast skies. From a purely performance standpoint, the lens completely won us over: its photochromic reaction speed was among the fastest in the entire test field. The glasses handled changing light and shadow conditions on the trail with aplomb. Thanks to the hydrophobic and oleophobic coating, they also proved resistant to smudges and virtually never fogged up in practice.
On the trail: Our test impressions
Out on the trail, the Mavic MVS Shield delivers a performance that's hard to believe after just handling it. The large, frameless lens provides an absolutely outstanding, completely unrestricted field of vision – there's truly no frame obstructing your view. The large surface area also ensures excellent wind protection for your eyes. As mentioned, the tinting speed is top-notch and adapts quickly to changing light conditions. However, the subjective fit wasn't quite perfect for our faces. The lens has a relatively strong curvature. To achieve a secure fit, we had to position the glasses so that our eyelashes repeatedly touched the lens when we blinked, which can get quite annoying over time. So, while the pure performance (optics, VLT area, anti-fog) is impressive, the cheap feel and constant creaking during handling significantly detract from the overall impression.
